The UK government has won a legal battle over its decision to house hundreds of asylum seekers on a barge.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman had faced a claim that she had broken the law in not seeking planning permission for the Bibby Stockholm to moor in Portland harbour.
The government hopes to house up to 500 asylum seekers on the barge in an attempt to reduce the cost of accommodating them in hotels,
But it faced a legal challenge by Carralyn Parkes, a member of Portland Town Council and the mayor of Portland.
The first asylum seekers arrived on the barge in August but were moved off again days later after tests revealed the presence of Legionella – the bacteria that can cause the potentially fatal Legionnaires’ disease.
Ms Parkes argued that the Bibby Stockholm constitutes a development and a permanent structure, so the Home Office should have submitted a planning application before deciding to use it house migrants.
There had been no compliance with environmental-impact assessment duties, she claimed.
But lawyers representing Ms Braverman said the challenge was made to a decision taken in April to house "destitute asylum seekers on a specially adapted" barge.
Calling for the judge to refuse to give permission for the challenge to proceed to a trial, they argued that Ms Parkes's claim was "out of time" and "without merit".
The government’s lawyers said the local council did not think planning permission was required.
They also argued there was no "general principle" that housing "non-British asylum seekers" together on a vessel was unlawful under a public sector equality duty.
Judge Mr Justice Holgate agreed with them and ruled that Ms Parkes did not have an arguable case.
It is expected the first asylum seekers could be returned to the barge next week, after it was evacuated when the Legionella bacteria was found in the water supply.
The Home Office said all necessary tests have been completed on the vessel, which has been out of use since August.
Letters are being sent to asylum seekers confirming their re-embarkation and it is understood the first people could begin returning to the vessel on October 19.
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
Results
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Tori Amos
Native Invader
Decca
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
World Sevens Series standing after Dubai
1. South Africa
2. New Zealand
3. England
4. Fiji
5. Australia
6. Samoa
7. Kenya
8. Scotland
9. France
10. Spain
11. Argentina
12. Canada
13. Wales
14. Uganda
15. United States
16. Russia
Innotech Profile
Date started: 2013
Founder/CEO: Othman Al Mandhari
Based: Muscat, Oman
Sector: Additive manufacturing, 3D printing technologies
Size: 15 full-time employees
Stage: Seed stage and seeking Series A round of financing
Investors: Oman Technology Fund from 2017 to 2019, exited through an agreement with a new investor to secure new funding that it under negotiation right now.
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh64,500
On sale: Now
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Friday
Granada v Real Betis (9.30pm)
Valencia v Levante (midnight)
Saturday
Espanyol v Alaves (4pm)
Celta Vigo v Villarreal (7pm)
Leganes v Real Valladolid (9.30pm)
Mallorca v Barcelona (midnight)
Sunday
Atletic Bilbao v Atletico Madrid (4pm)
Real Madrid v Eibar (9.30pm)
Real Sociedad v Osasuna (midnight)
